Parent and Student Handbook
2013-2014
Hand In Hand We Build the Future
Olde Providence Elementary School
3800 Rea Road
Charlotte, North Carolina 28226
Phone (980) 3433755
FAX (980) 3433722
Revision History: Whole document review and update 10/2013
Revised SectionsMedication at School
Illness or Sickness
Conferences
Birthday Celebrations
School Arrival / New Sections
Medication at School, CMS Policy
Visiting & Volunteering In The Office Area
CMS Elementary School Grading Procedures Plan
OP Wants to Help You – Chart
Student Records – Copies
A Letter From The Principal
Dear Olde Providence Families,
Welcome to the Olde Providence 2013-2014 school year! Whether you are returning or new to the school, welcome to Olde Providence. We have had a strong commitment to academic achievement ever since the school opened in 1967. We anticipate another great year of academic success due to the collaborative effort between staff, parents and students, as we all commit to our mission, Olde Providence Elementary strives to provide high quality and diverse instruction for all students by emphasizing teacher, parent and student cooperative efforts. It takes the entire school community to successfully reach common goals and ensure the success for all students.
This Handbook is a commitment to our motto, “Hand in Hand, We Build the Future.” It is one way the school demonstrates a commitment to open communication with the parent community. Within this handbook, you will find answers for many of your questions regarding procedures that need to be followed to allow for a safe and orderly academic environment.
It is our hope that by posting it on the website, we are making the book more accessible to you, while protecting our environment. Limited copies are available upon request, for those with no computer access.
Thank you for taking the time to read the contents.
Sincerely,
Rachel McKenzie
Principal
A Letter From The PTA President
Dear Olde Providence Parents,
With regard to children and education, we often hear the phrase, “It takes a village.” The combination of teachers, administrators, staff, parents and of course, students, make up a village of people working together to ensure a successful elementary school experience. At Olde Providence, our slogan, “Hand in hand, we build the future,” mirrors that school of thought.
Whether you’re new to Olde Providence or a veteran parent at our school, you’ll find a home with the OP PTA. Our organization is made up of volunteers who conduct an annual giving campaign (Invest for Success), guide an accelerated reading program, promote a yearly MLK contest, plan fun family events, support teachers as classroom volunteers and room parents, work to beautify the school grounds and so much more. Let us know your interests and we’ll help you get involved.
As a volunteer at Olde Providence, you will enjoy watching students grow both academically and socially. Children’s minds are like sponges, soaking in everything they hear. Whether you volunteer in the classroom or in some other capacity, you’ll witness their academic and social growth.
It is a pleasure to serve as your PTA president. I look forward to working alongside all of you this year.
Mitzi Lynch
Find out more by visiting our website at:
http://oldeprovidencepta.cmswiki.wikispaces.net/
You can also contact us through email at
We look forward to working with you this year!
Hand in Hand We build the Future at OP…
Mitzi Lynch PTA President
Trisha Riesmeyer President Elect
Pam Cohen VP of Parliament
Cindy Uselton VP of Fundraising
Lori Rosenthal VP of Programs
Natalie Cochran Secretary
Jennifer Boyd Treasurer
Olde Providence Handbook
Table of Contents
Letter from the Principal
Letter from the PTA President
Table of Contents
School Calendar
School Hours
Attendance Policies
Absences
Tardiness
Leaving School Early
Attendance Expectations
Letters for Excessive Excused Absences and Tardies
Unexcused Absence Letters
Work Requests for Absent Students
Make-up Work
Educational Leave
Health Information
Immunizations
Medications at School – CMS Policy - New
Illness or Sickness - Revised
Accident Insurance
School Nurse
School Rules and Policies
School Rules
OP Behavior Management System
Students’ Property
Bring Your Own Technology
Cell Phones
Lost and Found
Dress Code
Dismissal From School
Transportation Changes
Going Home With A Friend
Day Care Information
Before-School and After-School Enrichment Program
Bus Safety
Bus Rules
Consequences for Infractions of Bus Rules
School Closings
OP Traffic Beat
Arrival and Departure General Information
School Arrival - Revised
Dismissals
Traffic and Parking
School Safety
Safety Plan
Lockdown
Fire Drills
Visiting the School
School Visitors
Visiting Volunteering In the Office Area - New
School/Classroom Observations
Sibling Guidelines
Lunch Program
Lunch Payments
Lunch Boxes
Lunch Visitors
Birthday Celebrations - New
Communication
Home School Agreements
Conferences - Revised
E-Mail Communication
Targeting Phone Messages (Connect-Ed System)
OP Web Page
School Events and Parties
Field Trips
Special Programs
Parties
Sibling Guidelines – Repeated
Curriculum and Classwork
CMS Elementary School Grading Procedures Plan - New
OP Rationale
Program Description
Grading Procedures
Forgotten Homework
Media Center
Computer Lab
Art, Music and Physical Education
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Accelerated Reader
Religion in the Public Schools
General Guidelines
Guidelines for Winter Holidays
Special Services – Staff
OP Wants to Help You – Chart - New
Assistant Principal
Counselor
Psychologist
Speech-Language Clinician
Exceptional Students (EC) Resource Teacher
Parent Teacher Association
School Store
Membership
School Leadership Team
Parent Guidelines
How You Can Help Your Student In School
Miscellaneous Policies
Student Records
Privacy/Access – Revised
Copies - New
Withdrawing & Transferring of Records
Payments to School Returned Check Policy
2013-2014 School Calendar
First Day of School August 26, 2013
Labor Day Holiday September 2, 2013
Parent Conferences November 1, 2013
Veterans Day Holiday November 11, 2013
Thanksgiving Break November 27-29, 2013
Winter Break Dec.23, 2013- Jan. 3, 2014
Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday January 20, 2014
Teacher Workday January 21, 2014
Teacher Workday February 17 & 18, 2014
Teacher Workday March 31, 2014
Spring Break April 14-18, 2014
Memorial Day Holiday May 26, 2014
Last Day of School June 10, 2014
MidQuarter Reports
September 25th
December 11th
February 26th
May 2nd
Report Card Dates
November 15th
February 5th
April 11th
June 10th
For information about Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools please visit the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools website at www.cms.k12.nc.us or call the information center at 980-343-3000. The central switchboard can direct your calls to any department at the Education Center.
School Hours
7:45 a.m. Students Begin Arriving
8:15 a.m. School Day Begins
3:15 p.m. School Day Ends
Attendance Policies
Absences
Regular attendance at school and punctuality are important from the very first day until the last. Frequent absences interfere with a student’s progress toward meeting minimum standards for promotion. Parents should strive to make all medical and dental appointments after school hours. Family vacations should be planned around the school calendar so that students do not miss school.
Each student must bring a written excuse from the parent/guardian stating the reason for absence upon his/her return to school. If a note is not received within 5 days after the student’s return to school, the absence will be marked as unexcused. Missing the school bus and oversleeping are not excused absences.
Tardiness
A word about tardies:
Early morning traffic in this area is heavy and slow and this year, construction on Rea Road could slow you down. If you are going to carpool, you'll need to start your journey quite early to avoid being tardy. When the tardy bell rings, students should have unpacked their bookbags, run any necessary errands, sharpened their pencils and be seated ready for instruction. When students are tardy, not only is the student who is late starting behind, his late entrance also interrupts his classmates and his teacher. In addition, a student who is habitually late is learning the damaging lesson that it is okay to ignore deadlines.
§ Students who arrive to the school after 8:15 a.m. must report to the office. Students are expected to be in class at the time of the bell.
§ Parents must accompany students to the office when they are late.
§ Tardy passes are issued at the office to ensure that each student is counted present for the day. We strongly encourage parents to have their students in the classroom by 8:15 since the instructional day begins promptly at 8:15 am.
§ CMS counts all tardy occurrences as part of your student’s attendance record. Normal morning traffic, Rea Road planned construction and rainy weather are not valid excuses for being tardy.
§ Students signing in tardy after 11:30 a.m. will be counted absent for the day.
Leaving School Early
§ As a safety precaution, parents must come to the office to pick up their students. No student will be dismissed from the classroom. Parents should not go to the student’s classroom to pick up their student.
§ Written requests for permission to leave early must be sent to the teacher.
§ Students signed out before 11:30 will be counted absent for the day.
§ No student will be dismissed to anyone other that a parent/guardian without written permission.
§ Students cannot be ready and waiting for parents at the office. He/she will not be called for early dismissal until a parent comes into the office to sign him/her out.
§ Be prepared to present your photo ID when dismissing a student early.
§ Students cannot be called for early dismissal after 2:45 p.m. It interferes with afternoon announcements and orderly dismissal in the classroom. If you cannot pick up your student before 2:45, please wait for them according to their normal afternoon transportation plan. Early dismissals should be for necessary and infrequent activities such as doctor’s appointments. Leaving early for after school activities are not valid requests for early dismissal.
Attendance Expectations
School is in session 180 days per academic year. Every day holds multiple learning opportunities for students and we prefer that students be present every day to maximize their learning potential. However, we understand that students may be absent due to illness, family emergency, educational leave or family commitments.
A student’s absence will be coded excused when the parent/guardian provides the school with written communication to the homeroom teacher within three days of the student’s absence stating the reason for the illness. The administration of the school may require a physician’s note to excuse an absence if the student’s absences are deemed excessive.
Letters for Excessive Excused Absences and Tardies
Olde Providence will contact parents by letter, by telephone and/or by home visit should a pattern of excused absences and/or tardies develop.
Unexcused Absence Letters
§ Parents will be notified by letter after three (3) unexcused absences. The unexcused absence letters are state-mandated letters and are rather blunt and to the point.
§ Another letter is sent to parents on the sixth (6) unexcused absence. At this time, student services personnel become involved and a plan of action is developed for working with the student and the family.
§ After ten (10) unexcused absences, the principal sends a certified letter to the parents informing them that the case is being referred to the District Attorney's office for possible prosecution.
§ Again, these letters and procedures are mandated by state attendance law.
Work Requests for Absent Students
Make-up Work
§ Whenever a student is absent, it is important for the student to have access to the information presented in class. The teacher will collect the work during the day while the student is absent. It will be given to the student upon his/her return to school.
§ If the student is absent for 2 days or more, the work will be placed in the front office for pick-up after 3:15. Please do not come directly to the classroom to request make-up work.
§ If a parent calls requesting make-up work for absences less than 2 days, teachers will have 24 hours to collect the work. The message will be put in the teacher’s mailbox. We cannot guarantee that the teacher will receive the message and have time to act on it before the end of the school day.
§ It is the student’s responsibility to turn in the work to the teacher for grading.
§ Students have the same number of days to complete the makeup work as the number of days they were absent.
Educational Leave
§ If you wish to apply for Educational Leave, the form is available in the office. It must be completed outlining the learning objectives of the trip, the specific activities that promote the learning and a description of how the student will document this learning. It must be submitted to the principal five (5) school days before the planned absence.
§ Teachers are not required to prepare work in advance of the absence whether the Educational Leave is approved or unapproved.
§ If Educational Leave is approved, the school will provide a required assignment which includes open-ended questions about the education opportunity. The student must communicate with all of his/her teachers prior to leaving, to request that work be collected for them during their absence. Class work and homework assignments will be given to the student upon his/her return from the trip. The work must be completed and returned to the teachers in one packet for grading. The student will have the same number of days to complete the work, as they were out. For example, if a student was absent four days, the work will be due four days after their return. Any missing work will be entered as a zero (0) in the grade book for grades 3 and up. The work will be graded and factored into the student’s grades for the quarter. The extra assignment will be presented to the class upon teacher discretion.
Project
Congratulations! You are taking an educational journey. To assist you in making the most of your learning opportunity, please answer the following questions in any manner (journal, power point, scrapbook, brochure, etc) that you choose. Make sure to put your name and date on the project you create and turn it into your teacher. S/he may ask you to share your learning experience with the classroom.
As you create your project, please use the conventions of writing you have learned appropriate for your age and grade. For example, a Kindergarten student may use illustrations or photographs, and a fifth grade student should use an element of technology.